WASHINGTON, DC—The Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance (ECA), the unified advocacy voice of the business and professional events industry, applauds President Donald J. Trump signing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act into law today.

“The passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is a defining moment for the industry,” said Hervé Sedky, President and Chief Executive Officer of Emerald and Chair of the ECA Board of Directors. “It protects vital tax policies and invests in our future workforce by expanding Pell Grants and modernizing 529 savings plans. This bill reflects ECA’s mission to advance our industry through advocacy and smart policy.”

“At the heart of our work is a commitment to workforce development and driving growth for all businesses—especially small businesses. Together, we’re amplifying the industry’s economic impact and building a more sustainable future,” Sedky added. 

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act includes all ECA’s 2025 tax reform and next-generation workforce policy priorities.

Tax reform:

• Maintaining a competitive business tax rate that enables the growth of the industry and allows us to keep providing direct and catalytic value to our customers, stakeholders, and host communities.

• Preserving tax treatment of private capital investments to ensure an important source of investment in our industry’s small businesses and future growth.

• Safeguarding the tax-exempt status of nonprofit associations and their events to support the critical mission-driven work of these organizations to the industries, professions, and communities they serve.

Next-generation workforce:

• Letting students use Pell Grants to afford high-quality, shorter-term job training programs for the first time.

• Transforming 529 plans from college savings plans to career savings plans by expanding eligible expenses to include licenses and professional certifications.

“The One Big Beautiful Bill Act will improve the competitiveness of the industry through tax policies that support growth, investment, and impact going forward,” said Vincent Polito, Chief Executive Officer of the Society of Independent Show Organizers (SISO) and ECA Co-President. “This will allow us to continue to drive economic growth, support job creation, and empower small businesses well into the future.”

“Our industry’s collective future depends on having a highly skilled workforce to deliver the world-class business and professional events that our customers expect,” said Marsha Flanagan, M.Ed., CEM, International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) President and Chief Executive Officer and ECA Co-President. “The workforce policies in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act will help equip our future workforce with the necessary training and credentials they need to have great careers in our industry.”

ECA advocated for these issues as part of its public policy agenda, which focuses on advocating for policies that ensure the industry continues to serve as a growth engine for entrepreneurs, small businesses, and communities nationwide.

“The One Big Beautiful Bill Act is one big, beautiful win for the business and professional events industry,” said Tommy Goodwin, ECA’s Executive Vice President. “All credit goes to ECA’s alliance partners, the ECA Board of Directors, and each of the amazing industry leaders and advocates whose advocacy on Legislative Action Day and throughout the year was critical to ensuring that our voice was heard.”

For more on ECA’s advocacy work on behalf of the industry, please click here.

About the Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance:

The Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance (ECA) is a coalition of leading professional and industry associations comprising the unified advocacy voice of the business and professional events industry. To learn more about ECA and its work to advance the interests of the industry, please visit https://www.exhibitionsconferencesalliance.org/.

For media inquiries or further information, please contact Tommy Goodwin: +1 (703) 672-0780 | tommy.goodwin@exhibitionsconferencesalliance.org.